Joe Curtis

Arkansas rockabilly legend, Rompin' Ronnie Hawkins, rocked Toronto's Massey Hall to its 110-year old rafters, Sat. Dec. 17, 2005. The Hawk's been a fixture on the rock 'n' roll scene in Canada, ever since he arrived here from Arkansas in 1959 with drummer Levon Helm ( then-called Levon & The Hawks), who later became The Band of Last Waltz fame.

Chuck Jackson’s Southside Shuffle blues festival is a much-anticipated and appreciated annual blues event. It rolls around like clockwork the first Thursday through Sunday every September. This is why it’s always easy to remember when it’s happening.

This consistency is also true with the high standards in blues and jazz excellence that this exciting annual blues fest offers the audiences who attend it in droves every September. One of the most popular

James Brown, performed to a sold out show at Toronto's Massey Hall on the night of Monday, November 29, 2004. If you've never encountered the man who gave 'soul' its name ... its definition ... raising it to a musical art form -- then you're in for a treat! True musical expression from heart, to ears to soul -- that's what the James Brown 'Experience' is all about! Whatever the man's on -- this writer wants to be on it too!

Buddy Guy is truly a blues legend. His Chicago nightclub, Buddy Guy's Legends is legendary for the fine talent that's performed there. Mr. Guy was recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 14, 2005. Congratulations to Buddy behalf of all his blues fans worldwide for this recent and well-deserved honor bestowed upon him.

A little over two weeks later, Buddy Guy entertained a packed house of blues fans at Toronto’s Massey Hall o

This night was an Orbit Roomfirst, since it’s the first time they’ve featured the awesome harp and vocal talents of the always entertaining and charismatic Jerome Godboo. Godboo was longtime harp player/sideman for rockabilly legend Ronnie Hawkins & The Hawks until recently, as well as front man in his own Jerome Godboo Band/The Phantoms.

Rockabilly queen Wanda Jackson sang her ever-lovin’ heart out at Toronto’s Cadillac Lounge, for two nights of high-energy partying, Fri. & Sat. Oct. 14 & 15, 2005. This writer saw the latter of these two amazing performances, and it’s a memory that will be cherished as long as I’m around.

Wanda Jackson was the first female singer to record rock ‘n’ roll, back in 1956 -- and for a while back then, was Elvis Presley

Greg Godovitz is a legendary Canadian vocalist/blues guitarist/bassist, Goddo founder (and ex-Ronnie Hawkins bassist), as well as major John Lennon/Beatles fan and memorabilia collector. So it’s as natural as apple pie and ice cream, that Godovitz should perform an extremely special musical tribute to the late and absolutely great Beatle, John Lennon, on the 25th anniversary of Lennon’s untimely passing, Thurs. Dec. 8, 2005.

The 1st Annual Toronto Independent Music Awards, known as the TIMA’s, took place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on Wednesday, October 5, 2005. It was hosted by Josie Dye of The Edge/102 FM. This diversified music extravaganza was held at the Phoenix Concert Theatre. In August 2005, the Rolling Stones performed a surprise concert at the Phoenix, prior to their 2005 World Tour.

Martin Brown, originally from Britain (and still retaining a very-George Formb

Petula Clark, iconic pop singing star of the mid-1960s, made a special appearance, performing at the Hummingbird Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on the night of Monday, July 12, 2004. For some attending this great concert, it was a chance to relive memories of their youth, when life was simpler, definitely less expensive, and in some respects a lot more fun! Some in the audience like the lady holding the Petula-autographed show brochure from 50 years ago in England, have

Guitarist Jeff Healey’s nightclub Healey’s in Toronto, has gained an international reputation as one of the finest blues clubs around. Many of the most renowned U.S. blues acts (James Cotton comes to mind, as well as the late A.C. Reed, and drummer Levon Helm’s Barnburners-- a concert whose first set the great humanitarian Sir Bob Geldof of Live Aid/Live 8 fame> attended) have performed on its well lit, spacious stag